Fiber-separating machine.



. H. E. BRYANT.

FIBER SEPAR ATING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1907.

T; E.l

; PATENTED APR. 1 4, 190's.

No. 884,685. PATENTED. APR. 14, 1908.

H. E. BRYANT FIBER SEPARATING MACHINE.

' .AI'PLIGATION FILED JAN. 14, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 884,635. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.-

H. E. BRYA T. FIBER SEPARATING MACHINE. PPPP IOATIQN FILED JAN.14, 1907.

HENRY E. BRYANT, OF PAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND.

FIBER-SEPARATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed January 14, 1907. Serial No. 352,237.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. BRYANT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fiber-SeparatingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in machines forextracting fibers from 'the leaves of fiber producing plants and it hasparticular reference to a machine of this type including means forinitially crushing the shell of the leaf and reducing it to a soft massof pulp and fiber and for subsequently separating and disposing of thefiber and the pulp.

In the art as ordinarily practiced, a great disadvantage resides in thefact that the fiber during the separating or extracting process issubjected to too great a strain and frequently breaks, thus reducing itsmarket value. It has been sought to overcome this objection by operatingthe machine at a reduced rate of speed but this method is objectionablefor the reason that the output is reduced and a consequent lossinvolved.

It is therefore a primary consideration of the present invention toprovide a fiber extracting machine, in which the strain on the fiber isreduced to a minimum and which at the same time may be run at thehighest speed attainable.

The invention likewise contemplates important subsidiary objects,including the provision of novel means which in one position serve as astationary support and in another position serve as tongues or shaftswhereby the machine may be readily moved from place to place.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel actuating meansincluding traction wheels which in one position are designed to haveoperative engagement with the transmission gearing, and in such relationto serve as balance or drive wheels.

The invention also resides in the provision of novel details ofconstruction and arrangement which will appear in the course of thefollowing description, in which reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification,,like characters ofreference designating similar parts throughout the several views,wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fiber extracting machineconstructed in accordance with my invention and in its stationary oroperative position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same as seenfrom the front and in position to be moved with the parts in inoperativerelation, Fi s. 3 to 8 are detailed perspective views of e ements to behereinafter specifically, referred to, and Fig. 9, is a section of theclutch mechanism.

The machine embodied in the present invention comprises essentially aframe 1 in which the operating parts are mounted, brackets 2 dependingfrom the frame, an axle 3 supported in said brackets and traction wheels4 provided upon said axle.

In the forward part of the frame 1 are mounted superposed pulpingrollers 5, the function of which is to break the shell of the leaf andsoften its mass preparatory to the scraping and separating operations.The up ermost of the rollers 5 has adjustable yie dable journals 6 ofconventional form which are best shown in Fig. 1. Rearwardly of therollers 5 an initial scraping mechanism is provided which comprises uper and lower beams 7 and 8 illustrated in etail in Fig. 3 and havingconfronting closely associated scraping blades 9. The upper beam 7 ispro vided with vertical side arms 10 having pivot apertures 11 for thereception of stationary pivot pins fixed to the frame 1. One of the arms10 has an angular extension 12 which at its end is pivoted as at 13 to aslidable operating handle 14. Adjacent the blades 9 transverse guideplates 15 are provided. The plates 15 are pivoted as at 16 to the sidesof the beams 7 and 8 and in such relation are adjustable in order topermit of varying their angular disposition in accordance with thediffering conditions of use. The plates 15 accordingly at one sidethereof have apertured ears 17 through which are threaded adjustingscrews 18 bearing against stop lugs 19 provided upon the adjacent sidesof the beams 7 and 8. The beam 7 is designed to be swung forwardly onits pivots so as to afford a greater s ace for the free initialintroduction of the eaf between the blades 9 and to be restored to itsinitial position shown in Fig. 1 after such introduction. Rearwardly ofthe lowermost roller 5 a guide shelf 20 is pivotally supported as shownin Fig. 1. This shelf 20 serves as a bridge to span the space betweenthe rollers 5 and the scraping blades 9 and to su port the leaf as itfirst passes through sai rollers. In this function, said shelf is raisedduring the forward movement of the beam 7 and lowered during therearward movement by meansof any suitable. connection therebetween, suchfor instance as a cord or link 21.

In the rear of the scraping mechanism above described are mountedfeeding or drawing in rollers 22 which are fluted to more effectuallygrip the fiber and which have their shafts or trunnions supported by theframe 1 in suitable bearing provided therefor. The up ermost of therollers 22 has adjustable yie dable bearings 23 similar in constructionand function to the bearings 6. An additional scraping mechanism isprovided rearwardly of the rollers 22. This last named scrapingmechanism is designed to effectually complete the work and comprisingrotating scraping blades having a novel and peculiar operation. To thisend parallel transverse shafts 24 arejournaled in the frame 1 and carrysleeves 25 which at their ends are provided with o positely-extendingtubular arms 26. Wit in the arms 26 are loosely received the conformablesupporting posts 27 of cross beams 28. To the beams 28 respectivescraper blades 29 are adjustably secured by conventional bolt and slotfastenings 30. It will be noted that the loose interfitting relation ofthe post 27 in the arms 26 ermits of a movement of the former with reation to the latter. Novel means are provided for prescribing the linesof this movement to the best attainment of the functions contemplated,such means comprising outer and inner concentric annuli 31 and 32,illustrated in Fig. 4 and between which a space 33 occurs, affording anannular guide slot as it were. The annuli 31 and 32 are arranged insuperposed series on each side of the frame 1 and have flat portions 34which confront one another, the slot 33 being thus extended in parallelrelation for a comparatively short distance for a purpose tobedescribed. The

- beams 28 at their ends have axially extending studs 35 which areprojected into the slots 33 and in such relation coact with said studsto afford means for guiding said beams and the scraper carried therebyin a partial rotary and straight movement during each revolution of theshafts 24. It is preferred to provide the uppermost of said shafts 24with adjustable yieldable ournals 36.

On the shaft 3 a sprocket wheel 37 is provided which serves through achain 38 to drive a sprocket 39 provided upon the shaft of the lowerroller 5. Fromsaid lastnamed shaft the various other rotating elementsare driven by a suitable gear train 40 illustrated in Fig. 2. A suitableclutch mechanism (not shown) is interposed be tween the sprocket 37 andthe adjacent traction wheel 4 whereby the former may be engaged with thelatter at will to effect an operative and inoperative relation of theparts. As above intimated during the opera tion of the machine thewheels 4 are supported above the ground and serve respectively asdriving and balance wheels. To the end of driving the apparatus a socket41 is fixed on the wheel 4 adjacent the sprocket 37 by connections withclamping members 42 fixed to the spokes as is clearly shown in Figs. 1and 2. A detachable handle 43 is designed to be engaged in the socket 41in order that the driving wheel 4 may be rotated by hand.

The novel supporting means referred to in the introduction comprisesUshaped members 44 provided at the ends of the frame 1 and having theircross pieces received as pivots in brackets 45 secured by bolts 45, toframe 1. The legs 46 of said members in their lowermost position affordsupports for holding the frame in a position where the traction wheelsare above the ground, as is shown in Fig. 1. Brace rods 47 are pivotedas at 48 to the upper portions of each of said legs and terminate inhooked ends 49. The rods 47 are arranged in crossed relation and havetheir hooked ends 49 engaged with pins 50 provided upon the lower endsof the legs 46. When said legs are raised they serve as shafts wherebythe apparatus may be pushed or pulled, the wheels 4 resting on theground as shown in Fig. 2. In this position of the legs 46, the bracerods 47 constitute positive support therefor, as well as reinforcingmeans, and to this end are swung on their pivot to a position wheretheir free ends coincide. In such coincident relation the hooks 49 areengaged with pins 51 provided upon the bracket 52, carried by the frame1.

It is preferred to equip the beams 28 with brushes for the purpose ofcleaning the fiber after scraping, and also for removing any fiber andextraneous matter which might cling to the rolls 22, after their action.These brushes are designated by the numeral 53 and are illustrated indetail in Fig. 5.

It is well known. that in different kinds of leaves the distribution andtensile strength of the fibers vary and it will accordingly beappreciated that no one set of rollers is perfectly adapted for work onthe various kinds of leaves from which the fiber is to be separated. InFigs. 6, 7 and 8 I have illustrated different sets of rollers designedfor work on different kinds of leaves. Inasmuch as the rollers per se,form no part of the invention, it is not deemed necessary to take up indetail their individual construction. They are merely illustrated by wayof example. It is preferred to construct the rollers of a cylindricalbody separate from the shaft, and to project the shaft through theircentral axial bore. This arrangement permits of the ready substitutionof one roller for another, and will be best understood by referring toFig. 8,

which illustrates a portion of the frame 1,

and arbitrarily, rolls 22; the shaft 22* thereof being loosely projectedrespectively through the upper bearing 23, heretofore referred to andthrough a lower bearing 23*. In changing the rollers set-screws 5' arefirst loosened, the shafts withdrawn, the rollers removed, and theshafts then projected through the bearing at one side of the frame,through the rollers and finally through the bearings at the other sideof the frame. In addition to changing the brushes, the scraping bladesmay also be adjusted, in order to better adapt them for use with thevarying kinds of leaves. The operation of the various elementsindependently has been set forth in the foregoing description. Theoperation of the machine as an entirety is as follows: The handle 14 isfirst forced inwardly to raise the beam 7, away from the beam 8, and inthis action the shelf 20 is raised in the manner described. The leaf isthen introduced be tween the rollers 5 and during its passagetherethrough its shell is broken and is reduced to a pulpy mass. Whenthe leaf has traveled a sufficient distance the handle 14 is pulledoutwardly to lower the beam 7 at which time the scrapers 9 will separatethe fiber from the pulp. The rollers 22 continue the action thus startedand feed the leaf to the rotary scraping mechanism where the scrapers intheir straight movement in the same direction and along parallel linesof travel extract the fibers from the pulp and the partially separatedshell without subjecting the fibers to any appreciable amount of strain.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A machine of the type set forth comprising crushing rollers, ascraping mechanism including a stationary knife carrying beam and apivotally mounted knife carrying beam arranged in parallelism to saidfirst named beam, a pivoted shelf interposedbetween said rollers andsaid scrapin mechanism, a connection between said sheIf and said pivotedbeam, and means for moving said pivoted beam.

2. In a fiber separating machine, a frame, fiber separating apparatuscarried thereby, traction wheels carried by said frame, gearinginterposed between one of said wheels and said apparatus, pivoted legsat the ends of said frame, brace rods pivoted to said legs and designedin one position thereof to engage the adjacent leg, and brackets carriedby said frame, said brace rods being designed in another position tosupport said legs from the ground and engage said brackets.

3. A machine of the type set forth comprising crushing rollers, ascraping mechanism embodying a stationary knife carrying beam and apivotally mounted knife carrying beam, means for raising and loweringsaid pivoted beam with respect to said stationary beam, and meansrelatively fixed at one end to aline with the'crushing rollers and attheir free ends being movable to be raised during the raising of saidpivoted beam to guide the material being treated to said scrapingmechanism and lowered during the lowering of said pivoted beam.

4. In a fiber separating machine, the combination with crushing rollers,of scraping mechanism disposed in juxta osition thereto and embodying apart capab e of raising and lowering movement, and means to bridge thespace between said rollers and scraping mechanism to guide the materialtreated from said crushing rollers to said scraping rollers, saidguiding means being raised during the raising of said movable part andwhen raised alining with the space between said rollers and that betweenthe knives of the scraping mechanism and being lowered during thelowering of said movable part.

5. In a fiber treating machine, the combination with the crushinrollers, of scraping mechanism disposed a acent thereto and embodyingco-acting parts one of which is movable towards and away from the otherto thereby occupy operative and inoperative positions respectively, andmeans to guide the material being treated from said crushing rollers tosaid scraping mechanism, said guiding means being in inoperativeposition when said scraping mechan sm is in moperative' position, andbeing in operative position, when the scraping mechanism is in operativeposition and when in operative position alining with the space betweensaid rollers and that between the knives of the scraping mechanism.

6. In a fiber treating machine, scraping mechanism embodying twoco-acting parts, guide plates ivoted to each of said parts and movableindependently of the latter and means for increasing or diminishing thespace between the outer sides of said plates.

7. In a fiber treating machine, scraping mechanism embodying twoco-acting horizontal parts, and guide plates adjustably secured to eachof said parts and adjustable independently of the latter, said plateshaving their operating faces inclined in opposite directions to form aV-shaped mouth therebetween which leads to said co-acting parts.

8. In a fiber treating machine, a scraping mechanism which consists of aair of spaced shafts, short radial oppositely isposed tubular armscarried adjacent the ends of said shaft, posts loosely engaging in saidarms, beams secured to the outer ends of said arms, knives adjustablysecured to said beams on the sides of the latter, and means to impartirregular movement to the beams.

9. In a fiber treating machine, scraping mechanism embodying a pair ofsleeves, an elongated shaft on each sleeve carrying short radialoppositely extending tubular arms adjacent each end thereof, beams eachcarrying osts which loosely engage in said arms, linives on the beams,and means to impart irregular movement to said beams.

10. In a fiber treating machine, the combination with crushing rollers,of normally inoperative initial scraping mechanism guiding meansreceiving the material treated from said crushing rollers to convey thesame to said scraping mechanism, drawing in rollers to the rear of theinitial scraping mechanism, final scraping mechanism to the rear of saiddrawing in rollers, and means for actuating said initial scrapingmechanism and said guiding means to operative positions in unison.

11. In a fiber treating machine, means to I first crush the materialbeing treated, stationary scraping means to give the material an initialscraping, rotating scra ing means to finally scrape said materiabridging means interposed between said scraping means to receive thematerial from the first and deliver it to the second scraping means, andmeans for operating all of said means in unison.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADA E. HAGERTY, J. A. MILLER.

